In a turn from its usual work of finding homes for cats and dogs, a Southern Ontario animal shelter has vowed to help an abandoned lobster make the 1,000 km journey back to the sea.

Mickey, a one-pound Atlantic lobster, was taken into care Wednesday morning after being discovered in a cardboard box left in the parking lot of a St. Catharines, Ont., fast food restaurant.

“The plan is to find somebody who’s flying out to the East Coast to take him to the ocean,” said Kevin Strooband, executive director of the Lincoln County Humane Society, based in St. Catharines.

“It can experience distress, so because of that we have an obligation under our mandate to care for it, and that’s what we’re going to do.”

Still bearing rubber band marks on its front claws, Mickey almost certainly began the week in the lobster tank of a St. Catharines supermarket.

Given that the lobster was discovered on the morning after April 1 — and in a parking lot near Brock University — there is speculation that Mickey was originally purchased as part of a crustacean-based April Fool’s prank. The humane society said it is “looking into that possibility.”

According to Mr. Strooband, humane society staff were tipped off to the abandoned lobster by restaurant staff cleaning up the parking lot.

“They called us and said, ‘we’ve got an animal here, and can you come and get it?’” said Mr. Strooband. “So of course we went out to pick it up.”

After gingerly collecting the marine creature, staff picked up a few litres of salt water from the lobster tanks of a local Great Canadian Superstore, and then rigged up a surplus aquarium to act as the lobster’s temporary home.

As of Wednesday night, according to Mr. Strooband, Mickey was “just chilling.”

The lobster is the first crustacean to fall into the society’s care, although it has previously handled fish, lizards, scorpions and even venomous snakes.

Mickey in not, however, the first creature the humane society has saved from the food system. Mr. Strooband noted past rescues involved a few chickens.

“[Chickens] were part of the food chain, and they are now in sanctuaries,” he said.

According to Fisheries and Oceans Canada, lobster is Canada’s most valuable seafood export. In 2012, Canadian fishermen racked up a 74,790 tonne lobster harvest.

In St. Catharines alone, it is arguable that at least several dozen lobsters will be consumed Wednesday evening in the city’s homes and seafood restaurants.

Mr. Strooband said the Lincoln County Humane Society never once considered sending Mickey to the cook pot. “It’s legal, it’s possible to do, but it’s just not the right thing to do,” he said.

If Mickey were a cat or a dog, the humane society would begin an investigation into its abandonment with an eye to possible criminal charges against those responsible. Lobsters, however, are not covered by Ontario animal welfare protection.

“If we find out how it got there, it will be an education opportunity for the people that are responsible,” said Mr. Strooband.

The Society’s plan at this point is to send Mickey to Halifax via air freight; in effect reversing the system by which Atlantic lobsters are ferried to Ontario for food.

“If we take it out to Halifax, then I hope my sister will agree to drop it back in the ocean,” said Mr. Strooband.

Even then, the crustacean’s journey to freedom may not be at an end. If Mickey is indeed released off the coast of Halifax, it will be situated in lobster district #33, which remains open to fishers until May 31.